Munster Rugby coach Graham Rowntree will not rush into announcing new captain

MUNSTER Rugby head coach Graham Rowntree says he will not be rushing into announcing a new club captain to replace Peter O'Mahony who confirmed his decision to step down from the role last week.

Hooker Diarmuid Barron skippered Munster Rugby in their 21-16 defeat to great rivals Leinster in the URC at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday evening.

Asked about when the new Munster club captain would be revealed, Rowntree said: “We will announce a captain week by week who I think is the best person for that job.

“I won't be rushed into a decision. There are such big boots to fill. I'll be the first head coach in 10 years at the club who has had to name a captain so I'm not rushing that.”

Rowntree said he was ‘immensely proud’ of his side's performance in the wake of their defeat to Leinster which yielded a losing bonus point for the URC holders.

Munster, who have been hit by a number of injuries to key players, including Peter O'Mahony, Jack O'Donoghue, RG Snyman, Joey Carbery and Niall Scannell, as well as the recent retirement announcements by Andrew Conway and Keith Earls, were up against a home side who fielded 15 Ireland internationals in their line-up.

Rowntree said: “I thought it was a hell of a game. We will look at ourselves, our composure when we get near the opposition try line. We were held for a goal line drop out early in the game and if we had scored there it changes the context of the next quarter.

“There’s elements of the third quarter as well that we will look at what we can do better on the opposition try line, look at those chances and where we can make better decisions. But that was a proper team, 50,000 people at the Aviva Stadium, and I’m immensely proud of our performance.”